Many years ago, I had hired a dog trainer to assist me with one of my dogs. However, I had to terminate the relationship. Here’s why…
While this trainer had been training dogs for about 10 years, he had never owned a dog for himself. Ever. Thus, dogs were more of a machine to be worked and fixed rather than a pet. That important element made him unable to relate properly to me or my dog. It was a blind spot and he couldn’t see what he was doing wrong with me or my dog.
A lack of good training and burdensome behavioral problems can significantly disrupt your life. When things get bad enough, and if the trainer can’t provide the necessary answers and support, dogs risk relinquishment, abandonment or euthanasia. Even if the trainer has the skills to fix whatever the dog needs help with, if the trainer can’t sense or listen to the owners to know the severity of the problems, bad results can happen.
Behavioral problems, especially, can materially and negatively affect your life, especially regarding issues of house training, separation anxiety, aggression, or inability to pleasantly interact with any member of your family or your guests. Pet behavioral problems can put a serious drain on your family, such as taking precious time away from your already busy schedule, financial hardship, quality of life issues, a compromised social life, and can result in you being overwhelmed with feelings of grief, anxiety or depression. It also doesn’t help if your dog isn’t happy, appearing fearful, sad, aggressive or anxious.
I didn’t start out as an adult wanting to be a professional dog trainer and behaviorist. I started out, like you as someone who just wanted a fun and affectionate dog, just wanting to be a pet owner. I started out as a novice and did a lot of the wrong things… well, maybe not all the wrong things. As a result, I experienced training and behavior problems. For example, yes, I experienced puppy house training accidents in my house, stepping in warm gooey poop in the middle of the night in my bedroom. I could give you a long list of mistakes I made over those early years. Unfortunately, a lot of the dog life lessons I learned had to be earned, and it wasn’t until I figured out I needed to pay for help did I start getting some good answers. Fortunately, I never got involved in some of the horror stories that some pet owners experience, but I did run across some bad training.
I think a significant factor in my success as a professional today is that I have always cared about how dogs affect people. I saw how my dogs issues affected me, so I could relate. Further, sometimes, to get to know the people helps me get a better result with the dogs. For example, the other night, I spent over an hour after my last evening lesson talking to the owner’s son about being a young man and ideas about finding his life path. His mom thanked me when I was about to leave… at 10:37 pm… way too late at that point (I had to be up at 5 am the next day for an early morning lesson). But, he needed to talk, and in that conversation it helped me understand their family and I’ll better be able to dial in their continuing lessons in the coming weeks.
I have done mostly private lessons my entire dog career, so I’ve seen and been involved in countless home dog ownership situations with almost every type of pet training and behavioral issue you can imagine. I try to get a full picture of the home life of the dog, not just focusing on what the dog is or isn’t doing, but getting to know the owners, so it all fits together. I’ve found that discouraged and frustrated owners need new motivation, encouragement and support. It is hard for many to start on a new path performing new habits. Some people aren’t easy to talk to or reason with, however, I make sure I am easy to talk to and reason with.
I think it is also important for me to be there to cheer on behavioral and training breakthroughs. I do that as well. “Excellent! Super! Great Job! That’s amazing!” Students need encouragement to reach their goals. Almost everyone benefits honestly knowing they are on the right track, doing the right things, making good progress. If it is good, I’ll say it is good.
In the end, sensitivity is key to proper understanding and support for dog owners. A good trainer and behaviorist provides that.
